Bugatti 16.4 Veyron

2001 Frankfurt Auto Show

RON KIINO

Sep 1, 2001

Bugatti's 16·4 Veyron supercar was on display in Frankfurt, in an evolutionary stage that is "much closer to production maturity." Translation: the car has almost a 2-inch longer wheelbase than the version shown in Geneva in March, and it won't go on sale till 2003. But good things come to those who wait, and the 16·4 has plenty of good things. Foremost is a turbocharged W-16 engine that pumps out a mind-boggling 1001 bhp—more than Formula One cars. It also features a load-bearing chassis made of carbon-fiber-reinforced material and a 7-speed sequential-shift gearbox with two clutches. Put all that together and you get 0-186 mph in under 14.0 seconds and a top speed of 252 mph.